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I have both the Amex plat and csr. The chase rewards platform is much better. Amex gets my spend for United incidentals to eat the 200.00 credit, it gets uber, any airfare boooked directly with airlines and then any of the monthly awards deals. CSR gets all other spend. Priority pass stinks compared to Centurion lounges but the availability is slim. The Amex plat also gets you delta lounges if you are flying on delta that day
Is the other spend on the Chase worth the $450? If you travel a lot and use the $300 airline credit in addition to the $200 Amex gives you it probably is. What else do you use it for to warrant the fee?
Is the other spend on the Chase worth the $450? If you travel a lot and use the $300 airline credit in addition to the $200 Amex gives you it probably is. What else do you use it for to warrant the fee?
that $300 isnt just for airline credit, its also for other "travel" expenses. i used it up without even knowing. so for me its only a $150 fee because of that.
that $300 isnt just for airline credit, its also for other "travel" expenses. i used it up without even knowing. so for me its only a $150 fee because of that.
OK but I was addressing the poster that has both cards. A frequent traveler can easily use the travel credits of $200 and $300 so both can be beneficial. I think Amex has the edge because $15/$35 a month in Uber is a cash credit and travelers likely use Uber. The Centurion lounge if your airport has one may be the best perk of all.
OK but I was addressing the poster that has both cards. A frequent traveler can easily use the travel credits of $200 and $300 so both can be beneficial. I think Amex has the edge because $15/$35 a month in Uber is a cash credit and travelers likely use Uber. The Centurion lounge if your airport has one may be the best perk of all.
okay, i guess i was looking at it from a perspective of taking the annual fee and then removing "credits" to see which has the best annual fee.
so CSR goes down to $150 (450-300)
amex platinum goes down to $150 also once you remove airline credit and uber credit (550-200-200)
one thing i like about the CSR travel credit is its extreme flexibility. when i had platinum, i basically just used it up buying food for everyone on the plane. that is something i wouldnt usually do. it was nice but it wasnt a financial savings since i wouldnt typically do that.
OK but I was addressing the poster that has both cards. A frequent traveler can easily use the travel credits of $200 and $300 so both can be beneficial. I think Amex has the edge because $15/$35 a month in Uber is a cash credit and travelers likely use Uber. The Centurion lounge if your airport has one may be the best perk of all.
I believe Chase UR points are valued higher than Amex MR points. You can also acquire UR points faster with CSR and other Chase cards with all the available spending bonuses. See: The Chase trinity of Sapphire/Ink/Freedom
okay, i guess i was looking at it from a perspective of taking the annual fee and then removing "credits" to see which has the best annual fee.
so CSR goes down to $150 (450-300)
amex platinum goes down to $150 also once you remove airline credit and uber credit (550-200-200)
one thing i like about the CSR travel credit is its extreme flexibility. when i had platinum, i basically just used it up buying food for everyone on the plane. that is something i wouldnt usually do. it was nice but it wasnt a financial savings since i wouldnt typically do that.
It really seems to come down to how much you travel and which airports you use. Travelers will use the airline credits easily for just checked bags. If you use airports in NY, Uber is very likely and LaGuardia has the lounge which is much better than sitting around the airport with overpriced coffee and sandwiches.
It really seems to come down to how much you travel and which airports you use. Travelers will use the airline credits easily for just checked bags. If you use airports in NY, Uber is very likely and LaGuardia has the lounge which is much better than sitting around the airport with overpriced coffee and sandwiches.
everyone definitely has their own situation that changes the numbers. i rarely use uber and when i do it is usually for business. my primary airport is newark and i typically fly united (so i have united club card for united club access). my united club card also pays for 4 bags for me.
i also want to get the best value out of my spend (moreso than saving money on other things). that is why i have decided to go with the chase ultimate rewards cards for point accumulation now. a very close second (and maybe better) would be to put the spend on a 2% cash card like fidelity visa.
Is the other spend on the Chase worth the $450? If you travel a lot and use the $300 airline credit in addition to the $200 Amex gives you it probably is. What else do you use it for to warrant the fee?
The points earning capability, flexibility of rewards and the potential redemption value through chase make it worth the cost imo. I have a centurion lounge locally and if that didn't exist I wouldn't have the platinum card.
Ytd I've earned 54k points on the csr that would have only been 18k through Amex at 1.5cents that's a 500+ difference.
The Amex Uber credit is nice but use it or lose it monthly which to me makes its actual worth less than the stated 200.00 and the airline credit is questionable in value as I tend to have to blow it buying stuff I wouldn't normally where the Chase credit is actual reimbursement of expenses I would have had either way
Another advantage to the UR platform is the ability to transfer points to say a spouse. You can move points from your account to an authorized user. For me I will probably move from my CSR to freedom, add my wife to my freedom account, move her the points and close my CSR. She can then move her freedoms points to her CSR and add me as an authorized user for 75.00 annually
Another advantage to the UR platform is the ability to transfer points to say a spouse. You can move points from your account to an authorized user. For me I will probably move from my CSR to freedom, add my wife to my freedom account, move her the points and close my CSR. She can then move her freedoms points to her CSR and add me as an authorized user for 75.00 annually
you two opened up separate CSR accounts for double bonus?
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